baffle

present singular third person baffles · participle present baffling · participle past baffled · past baffled · first person past singular baffled · archaic present second person singular bafflest · past second person singular baffled · archaic past second person singular baffledst · present singular third person baffles · archaic present singular third person baffleth · past singular third person baffled · past plural baffled · past subjunctive baffled · participle present baffling · participle past baffled · alternative baffol

1. transitiveTo confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.First known use 17th c.

   They were baffled as to how the confusion could have arisen.

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   I am baffled by the contradictions and omissions in the instructions.

   [T]he full, Entire knovvledge of it [the gospel] may be one Principal Part of our Felicity and Bleſſedneſs hereafter. All thoſe Heights and Depths vvhich vve novv ſtand ſo much amazed at, and vvhich ſo confound and baffle the ſubtleſt and moſt Piercing Apprehenſion, ſhall then be made Clear, Open and Familiar to us.

   1694 May 8 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1698, Robert South, “Christianity Mysterious, and the Wisdom of God in Making It so, Proved in a Sermon Preached at Westminster-Abbey, April 29. 1694.”, in Twelve Sermons upon Several Subjects and Occasions, volume III, London: […] Tho[mas] Warren for Thomas Bennet […], →OCLC, page 294

   VVhen the Mind, by inſenſible degrees, has brought it ſelf to Attention and cloſe Thinking, it vvill be able to copie vvith Difficulties, and maſter them vvithout any Prejudice to it ſelf, and then it may go on roundly. Every abſtruſe Problem, every intricate Queſtion vvill not baffle, diſcourage or break it.

   a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, § 27, pages 84–85

   [A]s their calendar, at the time of the Conquest, was found to correspond with the European, (making allowance for the subsequent Gregorian reform,) they would seem to have adopted the shorter period of twelve days and a half, which brought them, within an almost inappreciable fraction, to the exact length of the tropical year, as established by the most accurate observations. […] Such was the astonishing precision displayed by the Aztecs, or, perhaps, by their more polished Toltec predecessors, in these computations, so difficult as to have baffled, till a comparatively recent period, the most enlightened nations of Christendom!

   1843, William H[ickling] Prescott, “Mexican Hieroglyphics—Manuscripts—Arithmetic—Chronology—Astronomy”, in History of the Conquest of Mexico, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: Harper and Brothers, […], →OCLC, book VI (Siege and Surrender of Mexico), pages 112–113

   There's a riddle now might baffle all the lawyers backed by the ghosts of the whole line of judges:—like a hawk's beak it pecks my brain.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Chase—Second Day”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 621

   Synonyms: addle, vex, lose, embroil, stick, stump, baffound, bamboozle · Antonyms: clarify, enlighten, unbaffle

2. archaictransitiveTo defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.First known use 17th c.

   Mrs. Felix Lorraine looked at her noble relatives, and shrugged up her shoulders with an air which baffleth all description.

   1826, [Benjamin Disraeli], “A New Character”, in Vivian Grey, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book II, page 125

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   And ſhould the Parlament, endu'd vvith Legiſlative povver, make our Lavvs, and be after to diſpute them peice-meale vvith the reaſon, conſcience, humour, paſſion, fanſie, folly, obſtinacy, or other ends of one man, vvhoſe ſole vvord and vvill ſhall baffle and unmake vvhat all the vviſdom of a Parlement hath bin deliberatly framing, vvhat a ridiculous and contemptible thing a Parlament vvould ſoon be, […]

   1649, J[ohn] Milton, “Intitl’d to the Prince of Wales.”, in ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 219

   It vvas the very Courſe vvhich our Saviour [Jesus] himſelf took, vvhen the Devil plied him vvith Temptation: Still he had a ſuitable Scripture ready to repel and baffle them all, one after another; every pertinent Text urged home being a direct Stab to a Temptation.

   1691 November 10 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1694, Robert South, “An Account of the Nature and Measures of Conscience: In Two Sermons on 1 John iii. 21. Preached before the University at Christ-Church, Oxon. The First Preached on the 1st of Nov. 1691 [Julian calendar].”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume II, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet […], →OCLC, page 424

   It hath always been my way to baffle reproach with silence; though I cannot but observe the disingenuous proceedings of this gentleman, who is not content to asperse my writings, but hath wounded, through my sides, those eminent and worthy citizens, Mr. John Morphew, and Mr. Bernard Lintot.

   1710 April 28 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [pseudonym; Joseph Addison; Richard Steele], “Monday, April 18, 1710”, in The Tatler, number 160; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume II, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, →OCLC, page 409

   Chartophylax then obſerved hovv fatally human ſagacity vvas ſometimes baffled, and hovv often the moſt valuable diſcoveries are made by chance.

   1751 December 6 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 177. Monday, November 26. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 135

   The meek intelligence of thoſe dear eyes / (Bleſt be the art that can immortalize, / The art that baffles time's tyrannic claim / To quench it) here ſhines on me ſtill the ſame.

   1790, William Cowper, “On the Receipt of My Mother’s Picture out of Norfolk. The Gift of My Cousin Ann Bodham.”, in Poems […], London: […] [F]or J[oseph] Johnson, […] by T[homas] Bensley, […], published 1806, →OCLC, page 579

   Synonyms: beat, bring down, convince, chew up, eat someone for breakfast, eat someone's lunch, flog, humble

   1. archaicspecificallytransitivenauticalOf weather or wind: to hinder or prevent (a ship or its crew) from advancing.

      "She [the ship] behaves nobly," observed the captain, stepping aft to the binnacle, and looking at the compass; "if the wind does not baffle us, we shall weather."

      1833, [Frederick Marryat], chapter XV, in Peter Simple. […], volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], published 1834, →OCLC, page 232

      Synonyms: beat, bring down, convince, chew up, eat someone for breakfast, eat someone's lunch, flog, humble

3. transitiveengineeringTo dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).

   Fleet ships encountering on the high seas / Who speak, and unto eternity diverge— / These hailed each other, poised on the loud surge / Of one of Mrs. Grundy's Tuesday teas, / Nor trimmed one sail to baffle the driving breeze.

   1924 August, John Crowe Ransom, “Good Ships”, in Chills and Fever: Poems, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC, stanza 1, page 54

4. obsoletetransitiveTo deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull.First known use 16th–18th c.

   And yet they cry out ſacrilege, that men vvill not be gulld and baffl'd the tenth of thir eſtates by giving credit to frivolous pretences of divine right.

   1659, J[ohn] M[ilton], Considerations Touching the Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings out of the Church. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcombe] for L[ivewell] Chapman […], →OCLC, page 65

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   [H]ee [the king] vvas never ſvvorn to his ovvn particular conſcience and reaſon, but to our conditions as a free people; vvhich requir'd him to give us ſuch Lavvs as our ſelves ſhall chooſe. This the Scots could bring him to, and vvould not be baffl'd vvith the pretence of a Coronation Oath, after that Epiſcopacy had for many yeares bin ſettl'd there.

   1649, J[ohn] Milton, “Of the Differences in Point of Church Government”, in ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC, pages 162–163

   [A]t laſt he vvas driven to confeſs the Truth, told the horrid Bargain he had made, and hovv the Devil often promis'd him a Covv, but never gave him one, except that ſeveral Times in the Morning early he found a Covv put into his Yard, but it alvvays prov'd to belong to ſome of his Neighbours: […] if he [the Devil] had not had a Mind to cheat or baffle the poor Man, vvhat need he have taken a Covv ſo near home?

   1726, [Daniel Defoe], “Of the Cloven-foot Walking about the World without the Devil, (viz.) of Witches Making Bargains for the Devil, and Particularly of Selling the Soul to the Devil”, in The Political History of the Devil, as well Ancient as Modern: […], London: […] T. Warner, […], →OCLC, part II (Of the Modern History of the Devil), page 319

5. obsoletetransitiveFollowed by away or out: to deprive of (something) through cheating or manipulation; also (followed by out of), to deprive of something by cheating or manipulating (someone).

   Parents vvill not be baffled out of their children by impudent gentlemen; nor is it fit they ſhould.

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXIII. Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume II, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 228

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   [T]he Lavv of God pardoning and unpardoning hath bin ſhamefully branded, for vvant of heed in gloſſing, to have eluded and baffl'd out, all Faith and chaſtity from the marriagebed of that holy ſeed, vvith politick and judicial adulteries.

   1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], “To the Parlament of England, with the Assembly”, in The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC

   [A]ll VVriters of Ethics have uniformly declared no ſervility to be ſo ſordid and intolerable, as that of the vicious man to his Paſſions and Luſts. Top the latter, he confronts the miſcheif of being a ſlave to every man elſe; for ſuch he certainly is, vvhom the fear of ſuffering can baffle out of any thing he thinks juſt and honeſt.

   1673, [Richard Allestree], “Sect[ion] V. Of Piety.”, in The Ladies Calling. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theatre, →OCLC, part I, page 95

6. intransitiveTo expend effort or struggle in vain.First known use 19th c.

   The ship, baffling with the winds, moved not an inch.

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   [He] let the Pandours baffle about, checked only by the fortified Towns, and more and more submerge the Hill Country.

   1864, Thomas Carlyle, “Friedrich in Silesia; Unusually Busy”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume IV, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book XV, page 103

   Synonyms: maffle

7. intransitiveobsoleteTo argue or complain in a petty or trivial manner; to quibble.

   Were it not strangely absurd and unhandsome to say, I cannot wait on God, because I must speak with a friend; […] [I]s it then just or seemly, by such comparisons to disparage his favor, by such pretences to baffle with his goodness?

   a. 1678 (date written), Isaac Barrow, “Sermon VII. Of the Duty of Prayer.”, in The Works of Dr. Isaac Barrow. […], volume I, London: A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy, […], published 1830, →OCLC, page 157

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   But if any one of thoſe ſharp arrovvs of divine truth vvhich are ſhot from heaven, vvhich thou haſt heard of, ſeen, and received into thy breſt, vvhich thou canſt vvith no colour of reaſon deny, or repel, and vvhich vvith much adoe thou baffleſt and ſhuffleſt off to a kind of cavilling unbelief; I ſay, if but one of them had vvell fixed it ſelfe upon thy heart and conſcience, it vvould move thee to the ſpeedy thoughts and eſſays of repentance; […]

   1658, John Gauden, “[Impenitence Riseth from Unbelief]”, in Funerals Made Cordials: In a Sermon Prepared and (in Part) Preached at the Solemn Interment of the Corps of the Right Honorable Robert Rich, Heir Apparent to the Earldom of Warwick. […], London: […] T. C. for Andrew Crook, […], →OCLC, page 47

plural baffles

1. countableuncountableengineeringA device used to dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control the movement of a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound; specifically, a surface positioned inside an open area to inhibit direct motion from one place to another without preventing motion altogether.

   Tanker trucks use baffles to keep the liquids inside from sloshing around.

2. UScountabledialectaluncountablecoal miningengineeringA lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine.
3. countableuncountableengineeringA device to prevent the spreading of sound or light.

   sound baffle

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   At Hackney Downs, the sun baffle and overhanging eaves completely shade the signal room from direct sunlight, and the whole of the sky down to the horizon is hidden from the signalman's view.

   1960 May 28, “New Signalboxes at Hackney Downs and Barking”, in Railway Magazine, page 309

4. countableuncountableA barrier designed to obstruct and confuse enemies, rendering them vulnerable.
5. countableobsoleteAn argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint; a quibble.

   As to Nonplus an Ariſtotle vvould look, not only like a Slur to a particular Philoſopher, but like a Baffle to Philoſophy it ſelf.

   1661 December 19 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1698, Robert South, “False Foundations Removed, and True Ones Laid for such Wise Builders as Design to Build for Eternity. In a Sermon Preached at St Mary’s Oxon, before the University, Decem. 10. 1661.”, in Twelve Sermons upon Several Subjects and Occasions, volume III, London: […] Tho[mas] Warren for Thomas Bennet […], →OCLC, page 200

present singular third person baffles · participle present baffling · participle past baffled · past baffled

1. obsoletetransitiveTo publicly disgrace (someone); specifically, a recreant knight.First known use 16th–17th c.

   'Tis, they ſay, a Maxim among the Svvordsmen, That he that has once been baffled, is ever after an incompetent Challenger: […]

   1660, [Richard Allestree], “Sect[ion] V. Of the Second Advantage, Wealth.”, in The Gentlemans Calling, London: […] T[imothy] Garthwait […], →OCLC, page 71

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   And after all, for greater infamie, / He by the heeles him hung vpon a tree, / And baffuld ſo, that all vvhich paſſed by, / The picture of his puniſhment might ſee, / And by the like enſample vvarned bee, / Hovv euer they through treaſon doe treſpaſſe.

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 27, page 443

   Then have the coppies of it paſted on poſts, / Like Phamplet titles that ſue to be ſold; / Have his diſgrace talk for Tobacco ſhops, / His picture bafful'd.

   1612–1613, Nathan Field, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Honest Mans Fortune”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene, page 161, column 2

   After this Antiochus remembring hovv often he had been baffled and diſgraced by Simon, the Father of Hyrcanus, reſolved novv to be revenged on the Son; […]

   1724, Flavius Josephus, “The First Book. Containing the History of the Jews, from the Time of the Maccabees to the Siege of Jerusalem, by Titus Vespasian.”, in Roger L’Estrange, transl., The Wars of the Jews: […], 4th edition, London: […] Tho[mas] Norris, […], →OCLC, page 45

2. obsoletetransitivegenerallyTo treat (someone) with contempt; to disgrace; also, to speak of (someone or something) in contemptuous terms; to speak ill of, to vilify.First known use 16th–17th c.

   I muſt reſolve to fight this confounded Beau, vvill tell all the Tovvn, vvhat Men he baffles, as vvell as vvhat VVomen he lies vvith.

   1692 November (first performance), Thomas Shadwell, The Volunteers: or The Stock-jobbers. A Comedy, […], London: […] James Knapton, […], published 1693, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 40

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   Should we (as you) borrow all out of others, and gather nothing of our selues, our names would be baffuld on euerie booke-sellers stall, and not a chandler's mustard-pot would wipe his mouth with our wast paper.

   1592, Thomas Nash[e], Pierce Penilesse His Supplication to the Deuill. […], London: […] [John Charlewood for] Richard Ihones, […], →OCLC

   A Religion, that baffoules all temporall Princes, making them ſtand bare-foote at their great Biſhops gate, lye at his foote, holde his ſtirrup, yea their ovvne Crovvnes at his Curteſie, exempting all their Eccleſiaſticall Subiects from their iuriſdiction, and (vvhen they liſt) all the reſt from their allegeance.

   1609, Jos[eph] Hall, “A Serious Disswasive from Poperie”, in The Peace of Rome. Proclaimed to All the World, by Her Famous Cardinall Bellarmine, and the No Lesse Famous Casuist Navarre. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Macham, →OCLC, page 32

   [U]nder colour of ſome particular Author that does not pleaſe you, you run dovvn and baffle that ſerious buſineſs of Regeneration, Juſtification, Sanctification, Election, Vocation, Adoption, vvhich the Apoſtle Paul hath, beſide others, vvith ſo much labour illuſtrated and diſtinguiſh'd; […]

   1673, Andrew Marvel[l], The Rehearsall Transpros’d: The Second Part. […], London: […] Nathaniel Ponder […], →OCLC, page 321

plural baffles

1. obsoletetransitiveuncountableIntentional insult; affront; also, disgrace; (countable) an instance of this.

   Novv that you intend to trail a Pike, and make Profeſſion of Arms, let me give you this Caveat, that nothing muſt be more precious to you than your Reputation. […] If you get but once handſomely off, you are made ever after; for you vvill be free from all Baffles and Affronts.

   1634 August 12 (Gregorian calendar), James Howell, “XIV. To My Cousin Mr. J. P. at Gravesend.”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. […], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], published 1655, →OCLC, section VI, page 311